Sliver condensing



June-8, 1954 2,680,266- J. G. KERsH'Aw Filed July 26, 1948 SLIVER CNDENSING 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Z8 f lo .55 58 '4 sheets-sheet 2 Filed July 26, 1948 w y .5 W2 f fe E 6r 8a. w @m0 Mmme 4 I mw .June 8, 1954 J. G. KERsHAw 2,680,266

SLIVER CONDENSING Filed July 26, 1948 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Zn W21 for J? free/z ferlaw 4fic-'5.a u :y

June 8, 1954 2,680,266

J. G. KERsHAw SLIVER CONDENSING Filed July 26, 1948 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 .fm/@nier y Awa y Patented June 8, 1954 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE SLIVER CONDENSING John G. Kershaw, Westmount, Quebec, Canada Application July 26, 1948, Serial No. 40,722

Introduction This invention relates to condensing sliver.

In textile manufacture, at various stages of producing yarn, sliver is condensed and put into a can in which it is taken to the location of the next operation. After carding, this condensation is usually eiected by calenders or press rolls at- -tached to the card and further in a coiler head by Objects Having regard to the foregoing, principal objects of the invention are to provide an improved method of condensing sliver, and an improved apparatus for carrying out the method.

Applicants development In accordance with the method of the present invention, sliver is continuously and progresf sively tapered in diameter by gradually increasing coniinement in a direction transverse to its axis, and then without being allowed to expand Y materially in any direction, it is immediately subjected to positive pressure in a direction trans-` verse to its axis while being retained against expansion in another transverse direction, and is then released from pressure in a condensed condition.

One way in which this method can be accomp-lished in accordance with the invention is by the 11 Claims. (Cl. 19-15'7) faces are preferably of a resilient elastomer radiused or curved and touch the side surfaces of the press rolls adjacent to the working face.

These rolls are desirably idlers to which motion v-is imparted by contact with the press rolls or the sliver, or both. According to another construction, the guide rolls have polished metallic working surfaces. In all cases the roll surfaces are suiiiciently close to the surfaces of the press rolls use of an apparatus including a pair of cooperating press rolls having narrow peripheral working surfaces between which the sliver is pressed and cooperating guiding means adapted to guide and retain the sliver Within the nip of the press rolls before and while being subjected to pressure. This guiding means, according to one preferred form of the invention, includes a pair of rolls mounted on an axis transverse to that of the press rolls and having peripheral surfaces adjacent the nip of the press rolls, the surfaces of the press and guide rolls forming therebetween a sliver condensing throat. In this construction, the guide rolls are mounted sufliciently close to the press rolls to prevent escape of sliver between the respective surfaces. Desirably, a trumpet is mounted with its narrow end projecting into this throat and close to the nip in such a way that the sliver is under pressure and gradually reduced from the time it enters the trumpet until the time it leaves the throat.

In one construction the guide rolls have working surfaces of resilient material, and these surto prevent escape of sliver from the throat.

According to another preferred construction in accordance with the invention the guiding means is constituted by a pair of stationary surfaces, for example a pair of plates mounted one on each side of the press rolls and having guiding surfaces closely adjacent to the nip, the surface being inclined from the entrance side inwards so as to constitute with the press rolls the sliver condensing throat.

In one preferred construction, the guiding means is mounted onhangers slidably mounted on the shafts carrying the press rolls. In another construction, the guiding means is supported by a bracket member secured to an immovable part of the,` apparatus, for example the frame of the middle part of the coiler head.

Detailed description In order for the invention to be more fully understood, reference will now be made to pre-v ferred embodiments of it which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a diagrammatic general arrangement in which the present inventionis applied lto condensing the sliver after carding, the ligure illustrating in sequence a pair of calender rolls which receive the carded sliver, a coiler vin which the sliver is condensed and a can for receiving the condensed sliver.

Figure 2 is an enlarged plan view of the coiler head shown in FigureA l withthe cover removed.

Figure 3 is an enlarged plan View partially in section of a portion of Figure l to illustrate the y press rolls and guiding rolls in more detail.

Figure 4 is a sidel ele"a'tion' of Figure 3 with the trumpet and cover shown to further illustrate the construction thereof.

Figure 5 is a fragmentary elevational view partially in section of the press rollsA and trumpet.

Figure 6 is a fragmentary elevational view partially in section illustrating the relationship of the guiding rolls and trumpet according tothe construction of Figure 3.

Figure 7 is a plan view partially in section of the press rolls including an alternative construction embodying guide plates. f

Figure 8 is a side elevation partially in section of Figure 7 with the trumpet and cover shown to further illustrate the construction thereof.

Figure 9 is a fragmentary elevational view partially in section illustrating the relationship of press rolls, guide plates and trumpet according to the construction of Figure 7.

Figure is a fragmentary plan view illustrating an alternative form of guide rolls.

Figure l1 is a plan View partially in section illustrating an alternative construction for mounting the guide rolls.

Figure 12 is a side elevation partially in section of Figure 1l with the trumpet and cover shown to further illustrate the construction thereof.

Figure 13 is a fragmentary elevational view partially in section illustrating the relationship of press rolls, guide rolls, and trumpet according to the construction of Figure 11.

Figures 14 and 15 comprise a diagrammatic elevation and a series of plan views, respectively, showing the conformation of the sliver at various stages of condensation indicated by the dot and dash lines on Figure 13.

Referring in more detail to Figure 1 of the drawings, the sliver IIl is shown passing between smooth calender or press rolls l2 as it comes from the card and thence to the head of a coiler I by which it is coiled and pressed into a can I5.

The sliver is condensed to a certain extent as it is passed through a trumpet l I, shown in dotted lines, between the doifer of the card and the calenders I2, then it is taken up through a trumpet I8 on the head I4, whence it is passed between a further set of condensing rolls within the head as will be explained, and is then coiled into the can.

The coiler comprises a foot 20 carrying a bottom plate 22 which supports the can, and a pillar 24 on which the coiler head I4 is mounted. The head I4 comprises a bottom part 26 iixedly at. tached to the pillar 24, a middle part 28 hingedly mounted on the bottom part 26, and a cover 30 hingedly mounted on the middle part 28. The cover 3B includes an opening in which the trumpet I8 is mounted. The trumpet I8 has a tapering mouth 32 through which the sliver is drawn and a depending conical funnel 34 by which the sliver is initially reduced in diameter and guided to the nip of the condensing rolls. The middle portion 28 includes a framework in which are journalled the condensing roll shafts 36 and 38. The shaft 36 is fixed, and the shaft 38 is movable, being journalled in a bracket 33 pivoted to a vertical pin 40 carried by the middle part 28 for inward movement with respect to the shaft 36. A leaf spring 42 mounted on the middle portion 28 serves to urge the shaft 38 and the condensing roll carried by the shaft towards the condensing roll mounted on the shaft 3B. This construction is conventional for coiler heads.

Pressing mechanism The coiler mechanism is driven from a shaft receiving its drive from the card. A bevel gear 44 on the head of this shaft meshes with a bevel gear 45 mounted on the shaft 38. The shaft 35 is provided with a gear 48 meshing with a gear 58 on the shaft 38. The drive of all these parts isV synchronized to coil the sliver into the can in the desired manner. With particular reference to Figures 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 a disk-like press roll 52 is mounted on the shaft 35 and a similar press roll 54 is mounted on the shaft 38. The width of the working surfaces of these rolls is substantially less than that of the sliver to be condensed, preferably about 1/6 to 1/8 of the diameter of the sliver to be condensed.

In the preferred construction illustrated in the sliver.

drawings the press rolls 52 and 54 are prevented from engaging each other when inoperative by a projection 4I of the journal bracket 39 bearing against the journal of shaft 36. This maintains the press roll 54 at a set distance from the press roll 52, for example .002" (two thousandths of an inch) being sufcient as it is only required to keep the rolls from engaging each other to reduce wear when the coiler head is running without sliver. Guide rolls 56 and 58 are mounted on bracket plates 50 and 52 and are disposed one on each side of the press rolls 52 and 5t. The guide rolls 55 and 53 are rotatably mounted on pivot mountings 64 and 66 and are adjustable so as to be placed in contact with the press rolls 52 and 54 with the correct amount of pressure to retain the sliver in the nip of the guide rolls.

The bracket plates 68 and 52 include openings suitably hushed whereby the brackets are slidably mounted on the shafts 35 and 38. The openings that are adapted to receive the shaft 38 are sufficiently elongated to allow for lateral movement of the shaft 38 towards and away from the shaft 36. In a preferred construction illustrated in Figures 2, 3 and 4, the brackets 55 and 52 are joined by bolts and spacers 6I so that the brackets 68 and 82 and the guide rolls 5E and 58 together with their mountings may be installed or removed as a complete unit.

The trumpet i8 includes a tapering mouth 32 adapted to receive the sliver and a regularly decreasing conical body portion Sfi that terminates in an annular end portion 33. The cross sectional diameter of the end portion 33 is substantially the required diameter of the sliver for efficient engagement between the press rolls 52 and 55, In the preferred constructions illustrated, the trumpet la is mounted on the coiler head cover 33 and when the cover 35 is in the closed position the annular end portion 33 of the trumpet I8 is positioned within the sliver condensing throat formed by the press rolls 52, 53 and the guide rolls 55, 58. The conical shape of the trumpet i3 and the disk-like form of the press rolls 52 and 54 make it possible to extend the end portion 33 very close to the nip of the press rolls 52 and 54 without making contact with the roll surfaces. The sliver leaves the end 33 of the trumpet I3 and then passes almost immediately to the condensing action of the press rolls 52 and 54. This arrangement together with the steadily decreasing taper of the trumpet body I8 condenses the sliver in a series of diameterreducing steps from the time it enters the trumpet until it leaves the nip of the press rolls.

With particular reference to Figures 5 and 6, it will be seen that in a preferred embodiment illustrated the nip or sliver condensing passage between the press rolls 52 and 53 and the guide rolls 55 and 58 is substantially equal in length to the width of the peripheral faces of the press rolls 52 and 53, and the transverse width is determined by the amount press roll 5s is forced apart from press roll 52 by the passage of the The amount of movement between the rolls is determined by the amount of pressure applied by the spring 42 acting on the pivotal journal of the shaft 38 as required to eiiectively condense the sliver While preserving its cylindrical form.

In the alternative arrangement illustrated in Figures 7, 8 and 9 the guide rolls 55 and 5S are replaced by guide plates and 82. rihese guide and retain the sliver in the same manner as the guide rolls 56 and 58 and are supported by simi- 5. lar brackets 94 and 96 slidably mounted on the shafts 36 and 38. The guide plates 8l! and 82 are preferably made from a non-ferrous material, for example, brass or bronze. However, the guide plates 85 and 82 may, for example, be made from steel with their inner surfaces highly polished. In these constructions the guide plates would be positioned adjacent each side of the press rolls 52 and 54 as closely as possible without actually contacting the surface of the rolls, thus would be adapted to retain the sliver within the nip without causing excess friction or wear to the press rolls.

As a further alternative the guide rolls 55 and 58 may be mounted as illustrated in Figures 11, 12, and 13. In this construction a supporting plate SI is secured to a frame member 83 and the guide rolls 55 and 58 are mounted for rotation on pivot arms 84 and 86. The arms B4 and 35 are joined at the upper ends by an adjustable tie bar 88 which may be adjusted so as to iaintain the guide rolls 56 and 58 against the press rolls 52 and 54 at the proper pressure. The tie bar B8 includes an annular opening 89 through which the trumpet I8 is adapted to pass.

The guide rolls 56 and 58, as described and illustrated in Figures 2, 3 4, 5, 6, ll, l2 and 13, are idlers preferably composed of a resilient elastomer, for example natural or synthetic rubber, for instance polychloroprene, and are placed in contact with and are adapted to be rotated by the press rolls 52 and 54. In an alternative construction as illustrated in Figure 10, the guide rolls |52 and |54 are contemplated as being, or at least surfaced with, metal, for example polished steel. rolls I52 and I54 do not contact the press rolls 52 and 54 but are rotatably mounted as close to the press rolls as possible without actually contacting their surfaces, for example, a clearance of .002 (two thousandths of an inch) is maintained.

In this construction the guide then through the trumpet I8 where it isprogres-` sively reduced in diameter and thence without being allowed to expand to any substantial extent in any direction through the nip of the press rolls where it is pressed into verythin rectangularv form by the opposing faces of the driving press rolls 52 and 54 and the idling guide rolls 55 and 58.

In order to better illustrate the condition of the sliver at various stages of treatment, reference is made to the diagrammatic illustrations of Figures 14 and 15. The positions of the lines V, W, X, Y, Z of Figures 14 and 15 correspond roughly to the positions of lines V, W, X, Y, Z shown relatively on the apparatus of Figure 13.

As it comes from the calendar rolls I2, the sliver is ycircular in cross Vsection (V). passes through the trumpet I8 the diameter of the sliver is decreased progressively (see W) until as it leaves the annular opening at the bottom of the trumpet it is reduced to a diameter (X) substantially equal to the preferred width of the peripheral surface of the press rolls. As the end of the trumpet is positioned closely adjacent the nip of the press rolls the sliver is then brought under the positive condensing pressure of the press rolls and guiding means without meanwhile having an opportunity to expand as it normally would if freed. The condensing rolls and guide means then compress the sliver to a thin rectangular form (Y) and after passing between the rolls the sliver is allowed to expand again to a circular form (Z) and in which yform it passes from the coiler head by the coller tube 90 which lays the sliver in the can in spiral coils as is well known in the art.

As a specific example of sliver in an apparatus similar to that shown in the drawings, dimensions of the parts of a particular apparatus and of sliverat different stages of treatment in this apparatus indicated by reference to lines V, W, X, Y, Z on Figure 13 are given as follows:

Apparatus Shape, Cross Sectional o Approximate Size Press Rolls 52, 54

Width of peripheral surface on rolls 52, 54

Trumpet 18.

end 32 end 33 Sliver-Position:

(V) Uncondensed sliver before entering trumpet 18.

(W) Sliver halfway through trumpet 18 (x) sliver emerging from @ud 3s of trupi '15.21" (Y) Sliver Within the nip of Press rolls 52, 54 (Z) Sliver after leaving press rolls 52, 54

Diameter (working face to Working face) 2". %l

1". Internal Diameter Diameter Diameter do Diameter Substantiallyrrcctangulal; x .035". Substantially circular Diameter Operation The sliver,- leaving the card condensing rolls for example, is initially threaded through the trumpet I8 into the condensing throat formed by the press rolls 52 and 54 and the guide rolls 56 and 58 where it is engaged by the press rolls and thus drawn through the coller. The sliver proceeds continuously between the calender rolls I2 The preceding gures are based on 50 to 60 grain sliver, this being standard in most mills for cotton or rayon out staple. The preferred dimensions of 1/8" for the trumpet end diameter and the width of the peripheral surfaces of the press rolls being found to be about the minimum for efficient operation of the condensing' apparatus under these conditions. In the case of lighter sliver, 3() to 40 grains, the surface width of the rolls may be reduced to approximately .100". about one-tenth of an inch to about one-eighth ofl an inch.

Advantages A principal advantage of the present method and apparatus is that the arrangement of the press rolls 52, 54, the cooperating guide means, and the trumpet I8, allows the end of the trumpet As it.

So a preferred range of width is from 18 to be placed nearer the nip of the press than was possible in prior apparatus of this nature. This arrangement enables the sliver to be progressively reduced in diameter throughout the condensing cycle of the coler head without allowing any opportunity to expand in any direction between operations as it would in known art apparatus. The sliver is thereby subjected to the same degree of condensation, as may be performed by prior apparatus, with less pressure and so less wear and tear on the driving mechanisms.

A further advantage is in the particular con struction of the apparatus itself. Most prior art apparatus for the purpose requires costly machining and grinding operations for its manufacture.

The present. apparatus may be easily and cheaply made and may be installed on any standard coiler head with the minimum of change to existing apparatus.

The sub-titles used throughout the specification are merely to simplify reference thereto and should otherwise be disregarded.

I claim:

l. A sliver condensing apparatus comprising a pair of co-operating press rolls between the peripheral surfaces of which the sliver is adapted to be pressed, said rolls each having an outer peripheral working surface of a width substantially less than the diameter of the sliver to be condensed, means for rotating at least one of the rolls, means acting on at least one roll for causing resilient pressure to be exerted between said rolls on the sliver, a pair of guide rolls, one at each side of the press rolls, and` having their axes perpendicular to the axes of the press rolls to form with the working surfaces of the rolls a sliver condensing throat, said guide rolls and the working faces of said press rolls being suiciently close together to prevent any substantial escape of sliver therebetween from said throat, thereby to reduce the sliver to substantially the width of the working surfaces of said press rolls in all directions.

2. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said guide rolls have a surface of a resilient elastomer normally contacting the surfaces of the press rolls, thereby to prevent escape of sliver between the working surfaces of the press rolls` and the surface of the guide rolls.

3. An apparatus according to claim l, wherein said guide rolls are provided with a surface of polished metal disposed' suiciently close to the surfaces of the press rolls adjacent to the nip therebetween to prevent the escape of any substantial amount of sliver between the working surfaces of the press rolls and the surface of the guide rolls.

4. A sliver condensing apparatus, comprising, a pair of substantially parallel shafts, a pair of cooperating press rolls mounted on said shafts and between the peripheral surface of which the sliver is adapted to be pressed, said rolls each having an outer peripheral working surface of a width substantially less than the diameter of the sliver to be condensed, means for rotating at least one of said shafts, means acting to cause resilient pressure to be exerted between the rolls on the sliver, a pair of substantially spaced-apart hangers journalled on said shafts, one on each side of the press rolls, a pair of guide rolls, one mounted on each of said hangers and forming a guiding face at each side of the nip of the rolls to form with the faces of the press rolls a slivercondensing throat, said guide rolls and the working faces of said press rolls being suiiiciently close together to prevent any substantial escape of sliver therebetween from said throat, thereby to reduce the sliver to substantially the width of the working surfaces of said press rolls in all directions.

5. An apparatus according to claim 4 wherein said guide roils are mounted on said hangers so as to have their axes perpendicular to the axis of said press rolls.

6. An apparatus according to claim 4 wherein said guide rolls are provided with a surface of a resilient elastomer normally contacting the surfaces of the press rolls, thereby to prevent escape of sliver between the working surface of the guide rolls.

7. An apparatus according to claim 4 wherein said guide rolls are provided with surfaces of polished metal positioned suicently close to the surfaces of the press rolls adjacent to the nip therebetween to prevent the escape of any substantial amount of sliver between the working surface of the press rolls and the surface of the guide rolls.

8. A sliver condensing apparatus, comprising, a frame and mounted on said frame a pair of cooperating press rolls between the peripheral surfaces of which the sliver is adapted to be pressed, said press rolls each having an outer peripheral working surface of a width substantially less than the sliver, means for rotating at least one of said press rolls, means acting on at least one roll for causing resilient pressure to. be exerted between said rolls on the sliver, a pair of guide rolls, one on each side of said press rolls mounted on said frame forming a guiding face at each side of the nip of the press rolls to form with the working surfaces of the press rolls a slivercondensing throat, said guide rolls and the working faces of said press rolls being sufficiently close together to prevent any substantial escape of sliver therebetween from said throat, thereby to reduce the sliver to substantially the width of the working surfaces of said press rolls in all directions.

9. An apparatus according to claim 8 wherein said guide rolls are mounted on said frame so as to have their axes perpendicular to the axis of the press rolls.

10. An apparatus according to claim 8 wherein said guide rolls are provided with working surfaces of a resilient elastomer normally contacting the surfaces of said press rolls, thereby to prevent escape of sliver between the working surface of the press rolls and the surface of the guide rolls.

11. An apparatus according to claim 8 wherein said guide rolls are provided with surfaces of polished metal disposed sufficiently close to the surfaces of the press rolls adjacent to the nip therebetween to prevent the escape of any substantial amount of sliver between the working surface of the press rolls and the surface of the guide rolls.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,238,659 Reynolds Apr. 15, 1941 2,322,711 Gwaltney et al June 22, 1943 2,385,448 Kershaw et al Sept. 25, 1945 2,621,372 Wilkie Dec. 16, 1952 

